XT2: Section 4 - FoolProof Routing
4.01 - Create Your Route
You Need a GPX File Containing Your Route
Your GPX file(s) should contain your routes, your tracks and your Waypoints. Organise them as you like - eg:
Waypoints MRA's Waypoints are not the same things that Garmin and the XT2 use. MRA uses the term 'Waypoint' to mean any route point.
Once saved as one or more GPX files, the next job is to get the Zumo XT2 to accept these and recognise the Routes, Tracks and Waypoints. That is for the next page.
- put them all together in one GPX file;
- have routes in one gpx file, tracks in another, waypoints in another;
- have one gpx file containing the route, track and waypoints for one day. Use another gpx file for the second day - and so on
Waypoints MRA's Waypoints are not the same things that Garmin and the XT2 use. MRA uses the term 'Waypoint' to mean any route point.
Once saved as one or more GPX files, the next job is to get the Zumo XT2 to accept these and recognise the Routes, Tracks and Waypoints. That is for the next page.
Comments on Different Route Planner Apps
The GPX specification uses the terms Waypoint, Route Point and Track Point in a very particular way. Garmin have adopted the same definitions that is used in the GPX files.
Garmin have added extra terms (such as Via and Shaping Points) to the recognised terminology. (The Garmin file format allows this.)
Unfortunately not all route planning software has kept their use of terms consistent with the GPX file format. So most of them use the term 'Waypoint' to mean any route point. In these notes / pages, I use the term 'Waypoint' as Garmin, the XT2 and the GPX file format use the term Waypoint - ie a location that has been saved and which can be plotted on a map whether or not it is part of a route.
Garmin have added extra terms (such as Via and Shaping Points) to the recognised terminology. (The Garmin file format allows this.)
Unfortunately not all route planning software has kept their use of terms consistent with the GPX file format. So most of them use the term 'Waypoint' to mean any route point. In these notes / pages, I use the term 'Waypoint' as Garmin, the XT2 and the GPX file format use the term Waypoint - ie a location that has been saved and which can be plotted on a map whether or not it is part of a route.
About Route Planning Software
Not all software behaves in the same way. Some questions that you may need to ask:
- Does it require the Internet to work ?
- Does it run on a PC / Mac ?
- Does it Create Routes, Tracks, Both ?
- Does the Route Change when it reaches the XT2 ?
- Can your Create Garmin Waypoints with the Planner ?
- Do your route points keep the name that you gave them ?
- Do the Route Points Move ?
- Does the software create Via and Shaping Points ?
- Does the Route Planner plot send the exact plot of the route, or just the route points ?
Problem Avoidance Techniques when Creating Routes
- Do not allow Tread to Synch with the Explore database. If you have allowed this previously, delete the tread app from your phone. System reset the XT2. Install the Tread app on your phone again and pair it with the XT2 - But do not allow it to synch or save data. The reason is that I have shown (to Garmin) that the synch process results in moved route points, and routes changing.
. - If there is a faster road nearby, the XT2 will want to aim for that if it recalculates. You can often prevent this by placing just two shaping points at one third intervals between locations where it might be tempted to turn off.
. - For key stopping places, create Saved Waypoints and name them so that you recognize the day and place in the route. I find it useful to start each route name and waypoint with a 2 digit number - the day. For the waypoints I also add a 3 digit number to indicate the sequence or the distance from the start. So I might have "02 123 First Coffee Stop".
Why ? It is quite easy to use the XT2 built-in route planner to create a route if you have the key stopping places available in the list of Waypoints. The day code and the mileage / sequence number both make the process very easy to complete.
Basecamp
Full featured. The XT2 will work with any properly formatted GPX file. But Basecamp cannot cater for some of the later features that have been included in the XT2: Collections and different levels of Adventurous Routing for individual segments of a route.
Routes created by Basecamp are recognised by the XT2: Waypoints, Via Points, Shaping Points, and route point names are all stored in the GPX file. GPX files contain the plot of the route as well as the route points used to create the route.
Routes created by Basecamp are recognised by the XT2: Waypoints, Via Points, Shaping Points, and route point names are all stored in the GPX file. GPX files contain the plot of the route as well as the route points used to create the route.
MyRouteApp
A is pretty good alternative to Basecamp. Annoyingly it uses the term 'Waypoint' to refer to any route point. It doesn't have a facility for creating your own Waypoints to send to the XT2 - although MRAs Points of Interest can be included in GPX files, and they show up as Garmin's Waypoints.
Routes are exported as v1.1 or v1.2. Version 1.1 contains all Via Points and Shaping Points, but it does not contain a plot of the route that you planned. It leaves the calculation to the XT2.
v1.2 contains a plot of the route, and the Via Points, but the shaping points are left out.
Routes are exported as v1.1 or v1.2. Version 1.1 contains all Via Points and Shaping Points, but it does not contain a plot of the route that you planned. It leaves the calculation to the XT2.
v1.2 contains a plot of the route, and the Via Points, but the shaping points are left out.
Kurviger
Kurviger continues to develop. It now creates routes containing Via and Shaping Points and allow different routing preferences to be assigned to different segments of the route. These do not match those used by the XT2.
You can create your own Points of Interest, name them and include them in the route. These retain the name that you give them, but others are named Via Point 1, Shaping Point 2. I found no way of getting Kurviger to define a Garmin/GPX Waypoint in the gpx files. Which is odd - the last time I tested Kurviger, every single point was defined as a waypoint !
You can create your own Points of Interest, name them and include them in the route. These retain the name that you give them, but others are named Via Point 1, Shaping Point 2. I found no way of getting Kurviger to define a Garmin/GPX Waypoint in the gpx files. Which is odd - the last time I tested Kurviger, every single point was defined as a waypoint !
Tread
If you create a route in the Tread App, and choose to export it as a GPX file, the result is very basic. No plotted route. Only the waypoints, via points and shaping points are declared, but the segments are given their CalculationMode ; Faster, ShorterDistance Direct, Adventurous. If the segment CalculationMode is 'Adventurous', then AdventurousLevel is set to be Faster; FastandAdventurous; Adventurous; ExtraAdventurous (corresponding to Adventure levels 1;2;3;4 respectively)
No plot of the route is provided by the Tread App - and it cannot create a Track. But the XT2 is given all of the information that it needs in order to reproduce the route just using the data in the GPX file.
No plot of the route is provided by the Tread App - and it cannot create a Track. But the XT2 is given all of the information that it needs in order to reproduce the route just using the data in the GPX file.
4.01 - Create Your Route
The information on these pages has been acquired from personal experience of using and testing the behaviour of Basecamp and my Zumos XT and XT2. I have no links with Garmin except that I raise issues about my Zumos' behaviours from time to time. These pages are presented for interest only rather than instructions. The contents of these pages must not be shared, copied, transmitted, redistributed or re-published in any form without my permission. (C) JHeath 2025.